John, the translator of the Gierusalemme Liberata of Tasso, was born at Moorfields in 1727. His father intended him to follow the trade of watchmaking, but his being short-sighted was an insuperable objection. At the age of seventeen he became a clerk in the accountant's department in the East India House. He occupied his leisure time in learning Italian in order to read in the original the Orlando Furioso of Ariosto, Harrington's translation of which had greatly pleased him. His next step was to begin the work of translating. He commenced the Jerusalem Delivered in 1758. It was published with a dedication to the queen by Dr Johnson, in 1773. It is characterized by elegance and correctness, but exhibits little of the true genius of poetry. The Orlando Furioso was published in 5 vols. 8vo, 1773-1783. In the meantime he had become an auditor of accounts in the East India Company, an employment which took up much of his time. In 1792 he published Renaldo, an early work of Tasso's. His translation of Metastasio's dramas and other poems display more spirit and variety. He composed some dramas for the stage, viz., Cyrus, 1768; Timanthes, 1770; and Cleonice, 1775. These were not successful. Hoole died at Dorking in 1813.